Switch



March 9, 1943. H. l. NICHOLAS SWITCH Filed Feb. 9 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l llllmlllllllllllll 1' Q Hun f7? 1 H. l. NICHOLAS SWITCH Filed Feb. 9 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 9, 1943 SWITCH Harold I. Nicholas, Chicago, 111., assignor to Burke & James, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application February 9, 1942, Serial No. 430,044

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in switch devices, particularly adapted, though not necessarily limited in use, for a combination of instant and continuous control of an apparatus in connection with general photography, and other mechanism in connection with which it is used.

The switch preferably embodies a plurality of plug sockets, and operates to cause a supp y of current to be delivered to the sockets, and to cut off the supply of current from one of the sockets while the supply to the other of said sockets remains uninterrupted. This is accomplished by arranging the sockets in parallel.

A further object is to provide an improved switch of this character, in which a mercury element is employed for completing and breaking the circuit, the operation of which element is controlled by mechanical means.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in substantially the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings ilustrating this invention, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a switch of this character constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the switch and casing, on an enlarged scale, and with the cover of the casing removed.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view taken from the bottom of the cover of the switch casing.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on line 4-4, Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view, on anenlarged scale, of the mercury element and a portion of the operating mechanism therefor.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view and wiring diagram.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral l0 designates, generally, an open casing or housing provided with a base II which projects for a substantial distance beyond one of the walls of the casing.

These parts may be of any desired size and configuration, and constructed of any suitable material, and the casing may be held in position' upon a suitable support in any suitable manner, preferably by means of anchormg devices which pass through openings l2 in ears or lugs l3 connected to the casing.

The side walls H of the casing are provided with recesses I! which open through the top of the walls to respectively receive plug sockets i6, I1, and a cover it is provided for the casing. The cover is provided with recesses is openin through the lower edge of the walls so that when the cover is placed in position, the openings M will be in alinement with the recesses IS in the base, and into which openings l9 portions of the respective sockets I6, H project. The lower edge of the rear wall 20 of the cover rests upon the upper edge of the rear wall 2| of the casing.

The front 22 of the cover extends downwardly to form a closure for recesses 23 in the front wall 2A of the casing, and the extremity 25 of the cover projects for a short distance over a treadle 26. This treadle 2B is preferably of a width less than the width of the extension Ii on the base of the casing, and is provided with downwardly projecting walls 21 which enter a recess 28 in the portion ll of the base. The treadle may be pivotally mounted in any suitable manner, preferably by means of pins or screws 29 passing through the side wall of the base from each side, and entering the respective downwardly extending walls 21 on the treadle 2G.

The edge 25 of the cover 22 which extends over the treadle 26 is spaced therefrom a sufllcient distance so as not to interfere with the rocking movement of the treadle about the pivots 29.

Within the casing is arranged spaced uprights 30 between which an oscillatable mercury switch element 3| is disposed. This switch element 3| may be of any desired and well-known construction, and is preferably supported between discs 32 constructed of any suitable insulating material, and the discs 32 may be connected together in spaced relation in any suitable manner, such as by means of suitable fastening bolts or screws 33. The switch element 3| is provided with metallic portions 34 to form terminal contacts, and leading from one of these contacts 34 to the socket element I6 is a conductor 35. Leadin from the other contact terminal 34 of the switch device is another conductor 36 which is connected with the socket element ll. The socket elements l6, ii are electrically connected in parallel by means of a conductor 31, and current is supplied from any suitable source by means of a conductor 33 which is connected with the terminals of the switch device ll through the medium of a contact member 39, to which the leads ll and H of the conductor 38 are connected. One end of the conductor 31 is connected to the contact member 39 of the socket 11, while the other end of the conductor is connected to the contact terminals of the socket i6 through. the medium of the contact device Hi.

The switch element 3| is of such a construction that, when it is moved into one position, the mercury element will break or interrupt the circuit, but when the switch element 3| is rocked or moved into another position, the mercury element will complete the circuit through the sockets IS, IT.

The switch device 3| is biased normallyopen, preferably by means of a spring 42, one end of which is anchored, as at 43, to the front wall 23 of the casing. The other end of the spring is connected, as at 34, to one of the insulating members 32, and tends normally to hold the switch device in an open position. The switch elements 3| and 32 are supported for rocking movement by means of a bar or rod 45 which, in turn, is connected to and extends across the space between the supports 30, passing through the insulating members or discs 32.

Rotatably mounted upon one of the connecting bolts or members 33 is an anti-friction roller 46 which is engaged by an arm or extension 41 connected to the treadle 23. This arm passes through one of the opening in the front wall 23. It will thus be seen that, when the treadle 25 is depressed, the switch device will be rocked about the pivot 45 to complete the circuit through the sockets l6, l1. When, however, the treadle 23 is released, the spring 42 will return the switch device iii to its normal position, and thereby break or interrupt the circuit to the sockets IS, IT. This opening movement of the switch device 3| is limited by the engagement of the arm or extension 41 on the treadle with the bottom of the opening in the front wall 23, as at 41.

The cover I8 is held in position preferably by means of a single fastening device comprising a screw or bolt 48 which passesthrough an opening 49 in the base of the casing and is threaded into a portion or extension 50 which depends from the cover l3.

With this improved construction, it will be manifest that there is provided a switch of this character which is of extremely simple construction, and in which there is provided a single fastening means for holding the cover in position. When the cover is removed, all of the operating parts of the switch will be exposed so that ready access may be had thereto.

Furthermore, with a switch of this character, the casing and cover may be formed of ordinary casting and the necessity of machining or finishing the parts of the casing will be obviated, thereby reducing the cost of production. I

While the preferred form of the invention has been herein shown and described, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, within the scope of the claim, without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What is claimed as new is:

A switch embodying a casing provided with a chamber open at its top, socket plugs within the chamber and electrically connected in parallel, a switch device for controlling said sockets, said switch device embodying an oscillatable insulated support, a mercury element carried by said support, means normally biasing said switch device open, a pivotally mounted treadle disposed outside of said chamber, an extension on said treadle extending into the chamber through a wall thereof for operating the switch device against the stress of said biasing means upon operation of the treadle, an anti-friction roller carried by said switch device and engaged by said extension to rotate said switch device when the treadle is moved in one direction, and to move the treadle in another direction under the influence of said biasing means, and a closure for said chamber.

HAROLD I. NICHOLAS. 

